The story of the Magi visiting the young Jesus is a rich story which often gets lost in the Christmas celebration. The Magi represent a deep expression of love and worship as they bring their three gifts to the Christ child. This week's episode explores how those gifts give us an example of how we should give our own gifts to Jesus today.

From "God bless you!" to " Count your blessings", the word "blessing" has come to mean many things. Most everyone would like a blessing to be sure! What is a blessing and how does it come to us? Is it just another word for luck or enjoying God's special favor? This week's episode explores what it means to be blessed and how we see blessings in a new light.

Repentance can make us stop in our tracks. We then have to wonder about where to go from there. John the Baptist tells his own listeners to focus on generosity as a response to repentance. He says that these acts of gratitude are "worthy" fruits of repentance.

We are usually more in touch with feelings of remorse and regret than we are with repentance. The first two words focus on emotions of guilt and shame while repentance places the focus squarely on changing our behaviors and practice. Remorse and regret may lead us to repentance but, they are not the same. This week's episode explores the hope which can be found in repentance.

The second coming of Jesus is surrounded by such controversy and disagreement which makes it hard to even talk about without a debate. If we simply set aside some finer (perhaps petty) details, we can find a certain hope for our lives and the redemption of the world.

"The truth is out there", was the slogan of the popular TV show, The X-Files. The truth in the case of this week's passage is the source of disagreement between Pilate and Jesus. Pilate believes that the truth is a "what" while Jesus knows that truth is a "who", namely himself. Our search for the truth eventually points to Jesus who gives life meaning and wholeness unto salvation.

Jesus speaks a word of peace and grace in the midst of troubling times. Conflicts seem near and far today as they were in Jesus' time. The fact that He is, "the way, and the truth, and the life" gives us hope for the future.

At the center of Christian living is Jesus, our source and giver of life. As Jesus prepared his followers for his death and resurrection, he makes clear that a connection with him is vital for their lives. We, too, must make the same choice each day: to stay connected to the only source of true life, Jesus.